Disability
Overview
Overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act at USF
It is the policy and practice of the University of South Florida to comply fully with the requirements of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and all other federal and State laws and regulations prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability. The ADA was designed to extend civil rights protection to people with disabilities. Title II of the ADA mandates that government agencies make their programs and services accessible to and usable by, persons with disabilities. Even before the passage of the ADA, USF was covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, sections 503 and 504, which mandated that programs and services be accessible to people with disabilities.
The interactive reasonable accommodation process includes the involvement of several resource offices for people with disabilities; Student Accessibility Services, the Employee Relations section of Human Resources, and the Equal Opportunity Section, Office of Compliance and Ethics. The University requires five (5) working days to provide disability accommodations at public events.
The University of South Florida has several offices that assist with Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance and Reasonable Accommodations.
Disability form: Request for Public Accommodation Form
USF Minimum Electronic and Web Accessibility Standards (MEWAS)
The University of South Florida is committed to creating websites, electronic course content, and on-line learning environments that are inclusive and accessible to all users. This explicitly includes users with disabilities who employ assistive technologies or other alternative means to access our electronic or web information.
USF has assured compliance with both Section 504 and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which requires that all public institutions be accessible to persons with disabilities. Section 508 requires that the University make its websites accessible to users with visual, hearing, mobility and cognitive disabilities.
Developers throughout USF should take some time to review the documentation which outlines the standards and best practices for their implementations.
If you have comments, concerns, or complaints about your experience with any of the university's employees, services, programs, or facilities, please inform our ADA Coordinator, Shari Wilson, by sending an email to sdwilson@usf.edu.
Programs and Services for Students With Disabilities
Contacts on All Campuses